Maria Antonieta.....An Old Friend becomes A New Friend

Well, today is Mom's official last day with us....and while we are saddened that she is leaving, we are going to take advantage of every minute.

The day started extra special, with massages for both of us.  Between the strain of being in the chair for 8.5 hours of dental surgery and driving home through a cloud forest after dark on Sunday, my shoulders and neck were aching.  I asked about a massage at the club and yes, they did massages.....at $20 an hour!!!!  So....I made an appointment for myself, but Mom said she would pass.  She sat outside the open air massage room and apparently rethought that decision!  When I told her it was one of the best massages I had ever had, she decided she would partake after all!  We left the club both feeling GREAT!

Mom had been in contact with a former student from Jourdanton who was Costa Rican and had returned to San Jose after her graduation from JHS.  We had one failed attempt to meet her, but Mom remembered her so fondly that we just made the decision that this would be a good way to spend her final day in Costa Rica.  We were right!

We met Maria Antonieta (or Antonieta as she is called) at a beautiful old hotel in downtown Costa Rica called Gran Hotel Costa Rica.  It is right across from the National Theatre of Cost Rica and meeting her there enabled us to see two of the more architecturally unique and beautiful buildings in San Jose.

This downtown area is bustling, very similar to the downtown of any major city and it was something that we hadn't experienced yet on this trip.

Antonieta arrived, as happy to see Mom as Mom was to see her, the bond they had 30 years ago still strong.  Antonieta had brought her husband and son, both named Roman and both very interesting men.
They suggested a Chinese restaurant near the downtown area, and we headed out.

We learned a lot about Antonieta and her family at lunch......her husband, charming and successful, her son, smart, funny and interesting, and her daughter, Sofia, who couldn't join us because she was working, but is evidently as special as the rest of the family.  We could have had dinner anywhere and had a great time, just because of the company, however, we happened to be eating at an EXCELLENT Chinese food restaurant.

Antonieta and Roman were obviously beloved patrons of the restaurant and the chef, who was from Macau, came out and said hello.  It is hard to decide what was best about lunch, but the fried calamari dish and a shrimp stuffed pepper were great and both something that we don't usually get at home.  It was just an amazing lunch.

After lunch, Antonieta invited us to see the town where she was raised and meet her family.  It was an offer we didn't even consider refusing.

After a stop at Antonieta's home in Moravia to consolidate vehicles, we set out for Coronado.  There in the city central, is the only gothic cathedral in Central America.  It is a beautiful church and stands out not only because of its beauty but because of the uniqueness of its architecture.  Inside were traditional Costa Rican confessionals and beautiful monuments.  The young Roman was not only patient with us, he did a great job of telling us the history of many parts of the church.

After leaving the church, Antonieta took us up into the cloud forest a bit to a town called Nubes (which means cloud by the way) where she was raised.  We even got to see the 3 classroom school she attended for most of her education.  Heading back down a bit, back into Coronado, we stopped by her mother's home and got to meet several  members of her family and see their lovely home.  There was a family bakery adjacent to Antonieta's  mother's home that  her brother now runs.....where we picked up some goodies to go with coffee for later.  The family was so warm and welcoming we again felt special and loved.

Aside from the sights we were seeing, we were learning a lot about the Barboza family and their heritage.  Some of the more interesting stories were about an uncle who runs a sustainable farm that is so famous that people come from all over the world to see it.  Cait and I really hope to get a chance to visit it later in the trip.  Also really fascinating to me was the size of the family.....and yet how they still remain close.  Antonieta is one of 11 kids....but her mother is one of 24!!!!  The home we visited today sits among several other family homes on a beautiful piece of hilly property with a view of the mountains.....and Antonieta and Roman both fondly remembered family get togethers and parties there.  It was such a nice glimpse into a sweet family's life.

After leaving the family home, we drove back to Antonieta's home and were invited inside for coffee and pastries.  Their home was so warm and inviting....and filled with amazing pieces of art!  Apparently the elder Roman has quite an eye for new talent and has a beautiful collection of pieces, both sculpture and paintings.  The younger Roman took the time to tell us the history of some of the pieces and show us some things that we might have missed without his help.  Again, it would have been a great visit without coffee and treats, but the baked goods we brought from the family bakery were delicious and the coffee was just what we needed before our drive home.

Saying goodbye was like leaving old friends.....and somehow we know we will meet this wonderful family again.

We returned to Cariari to have a quiet night before putting Mom on the plane at 1 in the morning.  Funny enough, she is leaving on the same plane that Aunt Joyce will be arriving on.......so we are trading one sister for another tonight  And Aunt Joyce's arrival is just the first of what will be the arrival of 6 new participants in our "We Three See" story!!!!!!  I have a feeling this is the calm before the storm.

No Volcano, No Playa Bonita, Yes Fun Anyway!

We are on the downhill side of Mom's visit with us, so we've started out early this morning on our adventure.

Because the day was bright and sunny in San Jose, we headed north to try to get a good look at the Poas volcano.  Since Arenal went dormant recently, Poas is the last acrive volcano in Costa Rica.  Unfortunately this time of year it is difficult to get up to that elevation without the clouds imparing the visibility so badly that you really can't see too much.  But....we were optimistic and headed out.

On the way the roads, though winding and narrow, lead us through more beautiful scenery.  The plant life is like eden.....on steroids!  

As we neared the top of the mountain range, the view down below was beautiful.  Though the picture is nice, it really can't compare to what we were really seeing.

Because this was a well travelled  road and we were making the trek on a weekend, vendors were all along the narrow road.  From a traditional  Costa Rican oxen cart that where you could have your picture taken, to fruit and vegetable stands, to all sorts of handcrafts....there were lots of things to explore and lots of bargaining that could be done.

By the time we were at the top, it had begun to rain and didn't look really good for our chances of seeing the volcano, so we decided to stop for some breakfast and see if the weather would break.  Once again, we seemed to have the magic food sonar, and had a great traditional Costa Rican breakfast of gallo pinto (an incredible rice and beans dish), eggs and hot delicious coffee.  It seemed like the weather was improving a little and the rain stopped so we made the final few kilometer trip to the top.

We pulled up to the entrance to the park and there was a line of vehicles paying their way in.  It was no longer raining, but there was a layer of fog or as Caitlin pointed out....a cloud......that had moved in.  BUT we kept watching people pay admission over and over and drive on towards the mouth of the volcano. 

 Finally, it was our turn.....and the attendant told us the admission price....but for some reason I asked what the visibility was like ahead.  Without blinking he replied.....ZERO.  Zero???  WHAT????  I watched the other people in the other lines continue to pay and move up....and asked the guy..."You mean we can't see anything??"  "Zero" he responded.  "You can't see ANYTHING!)  "Well can we turn around.?"  Smiling, he said yes.....and we drove up, did a u turn and left past the cars still waiting in line to pay to go see NOTHING.    Disappointed in not being able to see the volcano, but the giddiness of being wiser than the average travelling bear made our trip back down much more fun.

Something else that helped the trip down were the things we saw on the way.  We were taking a different route down the other side of the mountains hoping to see some different sights.  First we noticed a bunch of bikers pulled over looking up into a tree.  While the sun was back out, it had begun to rain a little , but that didn't deter us from stopping to see what the heck was going on.  Thank goodness we did....because there in a tree right beside the road was a sloth!

After a this quick stop we headed on down and soon got to a beautiful set of waterfalls. There are three falls in this group, however, from the road we could only see the lower two....but they were so pretty it was hard to be disappointed.  

We were already feeling better about having missed the volcano!

Cait wasn't feeling great, but Mom and I really wanted to head over to the Caribbean side of the country to see if we were missing anything great.  Unfortunately we wouldn't have time to drive south where the beaches are reported to be really nice, but we decided to head to the port city of Limon.  The first thing we noticed as we headed east was a difference in the appearance of the area in general.  Nothing was quite as neat and clean as it was in the west or even in the city.  Trash was piled in front of houses and businesses.  

The other notable difference in this part of Costa Rica was the acres and acres of banana plantations.  We had never seen them before and it struck us as odd that all of the fruit, still on the tree, was bagged in big blue bags.  We found out that these blue bags prevent the fruit from becoming sunburned!  

Dole and Delmonte both have huge banana production operations, including big areas in the port at Limon, where we headed. It did sadden us a bit that these big corporations, who incidentally put their workers up in company housing, don't seem to encourage a better way of life for them.  The port is on the Caribbean, and while we understand that the beach is beautiful just south of the port, the water where the ships come in was not what we envisioned when we thought of going to Playa Bonita, which was the name of the beach at the port.

Despite the lack of beauty that we have found in this part of Costa Rica, we did learn a lot and had a great drive.

Tomorrow we are having lunch with a special student of Mom's from Jourdanton who was from Costa Rica.  Should be a good day!

We Three.....by the sea

Well, as I said in the last blog, we had a great night's sleep in our jungle tent.  We heard the howler monkeys at night along with other unknown jungle animals...and woke to the great sounds of the jungle waking with us.  We could also hear the staff starting our camper's breakfast and soon were hungrily eating the fresh fruit and pancakes.  Why does everything taste so much better when you are eating it outside?

This place we stayed is really beautiful....and one of the real treasures was the huge salt water pool!  One side was a lap pool (they must have known I was trying to stay healthy) and the other a deep infinity pool that overlooked the property from the top of the small mountain.  We were the only guests at the place, so the pool was all ours to play like kids...and that is just what we did!

Though we hated leaving this great spot, we had been reading up on other beaches on Nocoya, so we packed up our little 4 x 4 and off we went.

Now as I explained before, the roads in this part of Costa Rica are more paths than roads.  We plodded along fairly well.  Occasionally there was a river crossing and Cait would get out to walk across and be sure there were no hidden deep spots.  It was a plan that seemed to be working quite well.

Well, it worked well until we got to particularly deep looking crossing.  There were tracks going into the water, but the water where the tracks entered was murky, so we  were unsure about it.  It was also about 30 yards across...much wider than the usual river crossing.  We stopped and surveyed.....and contemplated turning around.....as Cait was not on board with wading through this spot.  Some fear of crocodiles or something!  But, I figured we had come this far...and I was certainly a big bite for any croc, which might be a deterant, so I decided it was my turn to walk the crossing to be sure it was safe.  All went well the first half of the crossing...I found a path where we could cross that was only about a foot deep.  Then....from the car, I heard a HONK!!!!!!  OMG...did they see a croc coming after me?  I turned to look back at the car, only to see mom and cait laughing like crazy.  Yeah...really funny.  I'm not sure they were laughing because the terrufued look on my swollen face was amusing, or because they had scared me so badly that i was....well ......leaving my dna in the river!  Good thing I had on a swim suit!!!!

After a quick rinsing off in the thankfully crocodile free water, we were back on the road.

Our next stop was what is supposed to be in the top ten beaches in Costa Rica, Puerto Carrillo.  While very difficult to get to, it was worth the trip.  The water was warm, the sand soft and the beachcombing fun. We all three played in the surf for a while, then Mom retired to the beach to collect treasures for our Alexa while Cait and I ventured further out.    We were pretty much alone, aside from a few locals and we had a great time.  I'm not sure if it is the best beach here, but it certainly must be one of the nicest we had ever been to!

Well, if there is anything a day at the beach will do, it is make you hungry.  And in typical "We Three" fashion, we set off to find a great little place to eat.  And find one we did!  We happened upon Del Mariscos.  At first we didn't think it was opened, as there seemed to be some construction going on.  But we stopped to ask and sure enough....abierto!  Our lucky day...AGAIN!

A young man seated us, but it was soon evident he was just one of the handymen.  He ran next door to the house adjacent to the little restaurant and got the young girl who would be our server.  She came over and we asked about local fresh fish, and sure enough they had the red snapper that this area of the pacific is known for.  So we all ordered the red snapper!  She sheepishly looked at us and told us that they only had two.  So, we ordered two (Caitlin later hoped aloud that she hadn't told us they only had two in the hopes we would have only one and leave one for their own dinner) and we also ordered their mahi mahi in a special sauce.  We all agreed that this was now the best food we had had in Costa Rica and the snapper was probably the best fish we had EVER had.  What was so amazing about this spot was that it was small...and not busy...and yet they took such pride in what they served.  They made sure it was fresh, and it was plated beautifully.  They were happy to have us and we were thrilled to be there.

Even though we were tired and sticky from our day at the beach, we were happy and sated.  Mom decided on a quick trip to the ladies room before we got on the road and suddenly we were even happier.  She poked her head out of the bathroom and said "hey, they have a shower in here".  So I asked our sweet waitress if we could shower off....and she said YES!!!!!  How lucky can three Texas women get????  After a quick shower in the restaurant bathroom (and yes I realize how silly that sounds), we were on the road again.

This particular day was a national holiday in Costa Rica (unbeknownst to us) and so that made our trek back to San Jose especially interesting.  Each little town was having a fiesta of sorts.  Lots of dress in native costume, music in the squares and partying all long the road.  There were roadside vendors selling everything from wooden bowls and statues to baked goods to fresh fruit to Costa Rican flags.  Though the traffic was awful, the cloud forest portion of the trip was slow moving and we were hit with a quick but powerful rain storm, the drive back was interesting and just another great memory to add to all we've been blessed to have.

Back in San Jose, weather cooperating, we plan on heading to the the active volcano, Poas, tomorrow.  If they are sacrificing princesses we may be in trouble!

We Three, Si!!!!

Well, we are off again.  This time we are on a different kind of adventure.

Cait and I left the states on the 14th, of July and headed south to one of our favorite places, Costa Rica.  We are especially lucky this trip, as we get to spend just over a month in paradise!  While the two of us will be here for the full month, we will have visits from Mom (Barbara), the other two Killer Aunts (Joyce and Tita) and several other friends.

We spent our first week waking every mornning to a swim and a walk, eating great fresh fruit and vegetables and exploring local sights.  We visited waterfalls, great little local spots to eat and had adventures in questionable vehicles!

Mostly what we did was anxiously await the arrival of the rest of our trio, Mom.

Finally, she arrived and we wasted little time, getting on to our first adventure.  Okay....so while we didn't waste any time...we did take care of some issues that resulted in trauma...facial trauma to be exact.  And while we all had a fair share of trauma, I am the only one willing to post my face, mid trauma on this blog.  I know, I have no shame!  This photo was about 6 hours deep in a 8.5 hour day of oral surgery.

I would like to report that I'm all better now, but its 4 days later and I'm still swollen and I suppose fairly funny looking, as Cait and Mom are quick to point out!  However, I'm sure not going to let a little facial trauma and who-like appearance stop the fun.....so we moved on with our plans!

Since we had all been to Costa Rica before, and explored all the "entry level" must sees.....we thought we would venture up north near the Nicaraguan border to a less touristy and more authentic area of the country.
Thursday morning we headed north out of San Jose into the Nocoya Peninsula.  If you look at a map of Costa Rica, this is the peninsula in the northwest part of the country.  We headed out to Pacific side of that peninsual to a little village called Nosara.  It seemed like a good spot to start!

The road seemed fine at first, a highway of sorts.  In Texas it would be considered a Farm to Market road, but by Tico standards it was definitely a highway.  Because it is undivided highway and we were driving through the mountains, the going was pretty slow at times, however we did NOT adapt to the Costa Rica practice of passing multiple cars on blind turns!  We just plodded along, not too worried about the time.

When we though we were about 3/4 of the way through our trip, our Farm to Market road suddenly turned into a dirt road!

The bridges were at least smooth....however, they were one car....well, one vehicle.....okay.....one traveler....bridges!

Needless to say, the last quarter of our trip took us considerably longer than we expected!  Lucky for us it was amazing scenery and we had Cait to entertain us!

Many of you who don't know my mom well, will shake your head disapprovingly at this next part.....but we had made arrangements to stay at a place called Jungle's Edge.  It is, no big surprise, located on the edge of the jungle, just a short distance from the beach.  We knew to expect all sorts of wildlife in this area, and to make it just a big more exciting, we were staying in a tent!  Now, granted, this tent was the mac-daddy of tents and had two nice blow up mattresses for us to sleep on....but it was still a tent!  Just as we expected, Mom was excited with the spot when she saw it and though the hot, humid afternoon made us a bit concerned about the temperature at night, we decided to go ahead with the plan.

After checking in, we headed out for some dinner at a great little local spot right on the pacific.  Our tent-keeper, Dave, had recommended Olga's to us, and he certainly steered us in the right direction.  The beach was lovely, with local families enjoying the surf and we soon discovered that Olga's was the definite hangout for all the people of the village.  The beer was ice cold, the sunset gorgeous, the food...well, the best grilled red snapper I've ever had....and all the while we were entertained by the local surfers who were engaged in a very serious soccer game right in front of our table!  What a great evening!

During dinner I was eavedropping (I know, I know, say it isn't so) on some locals who I THOUGHT said that the turtles were hatching one beach up.  So we decided to make the trek on the iffy roads to see.  Well, though I obviously misheard or misinterpreted what was said because there were no hatching turtles on Playa Ostional,  we did get to have an unplanned treat thanks to Cait's keen eye.  Howler monkeys!  Right above the road on the trees and power lines, one even carrying its baby.  Luckily for me, they were also "howling" at one another, which would prove to be useful later in the night when the sounds outside the tent would have been a bit frightening had I not known it was just the monkeys!

Once back at the tent, we found that it was still pretty hot....however, it didn't take too long for the cool jungle air to move in and we slept comfortably.....amazing how soothing the sounds of nature can be.  While we saw very little at night other than some shiny eyes in the dark, we could hear the sounds of animals all around us and awoke to the chatter of the monkeys and the birds.  It was really a once in a lifetime experience and once again I was blessed to get to experience it with both my mom and my daughter!!!

The Trip's End

Today they left. ...all three of the killer aunts.   Joyce and Mom back to Texas and Tita to Florida.  

After I dropped them at the airport I looked at t the empty rental car.   It was quiet,  sad and empty without them.

Funny how relevant to life that is.  I know that my life would be quiet, sad and empty without these three remarkable women in it.

I learned so much this trip. I learned about memories of their parents and hopes for their children.  They told me  about songs they wanted for memorial services and instruments they played in band.  About first crushes, childhood holidays and each other.

They are as different as the day is long.   Yet there are some abiding truths that bind them .....they love each other, they love their children,  they love God and they love life.

I feel compelled to be sure these things hold fast after they are gone. .... even after I am gone.   Speaking to my cousins,  it is up to us to be sure their legacy of love and family is not lost.  I have fallen short on this in the past.   I don't intend to fall short again.

These three saw Northern Europe.   I was luckier.   I saw the hearts of these three.

Jolly Old England, Yall

Up early and well rested, we were ready to take London by storm.   Okay,  maybe not take it, but we were certainly ready to get as much of it as we could in one day.

Because time was short,  we made the decision to do the tour bus.   Not normally how we like to travel,  we felt like we could see the most with a little organization in our day.  That proved to be a great decision.

We had a nice breakfast to start the day and it was a good thing,  we didn't even slow down for lunch!

Our morning started with a walking tour to see the changing of the guards.  We actually got to see the old guard dismissed at St. James palace,  followed the band to the barracks,  then saw the new guard leave for Buckingham and followed them there.   It was a great, almost 'behind the scenes' tour,  but spanned more than a mile at a fairly brisk pace.   I had told the guide that a couple of us mught lag behind at times,  but she kept an eye on all the killer aunts for me.   At one point she told me she couldn't find the "red one", referring to Tita and her red coat.   Not to worry, she had lagged behind to get an up lose look at the handsome young guards. .... go figure.

We all made it to the palace with the group and enjoyed watching the crowds as much as looking at the palace.   There were all sorts of people.... everywhere.

After the walking tour we boarded a bus for a 2.5 hour overview of London.   The guide portion was not live, but instead taped and played through head phones.  I think the other passengers on the bus got more than their money's worth,  as they got the three sisters comedy show as well.   Tita's headphone didn't work so she had to share with mom. ... one ear bud for each of them.  They had a hard time remembering they were attached to one another,  and spent a lot of time  jerking each other around by the ears.  Across the aisle Joyce was oblivious  to the "attached at the ears" sisters,  but provided her own entertainment for the crowd.   She had many questions and comments about the tour, and forgetting that she had ear phones in, she asked them all really loudly.   Often couldn't hear the answer,  resulting in  a loud,  "huh?".  There were smiles and giggles all around us.  Have I mentioned I really love these women? 

We saw Piccadilly Circus,  Trafalgar Square, St. Pauls church,  Westminster Abbey, Parliament,  Big Ben,  the London Eye,  Tower Bridge and countless other historic spots in the course of that 2.5 hours.   Afterwards, we walked through London tower,  took a boat ride down the Thames and capped off the day with a walk from Parliament to Trafalgar so we could get better photos. 

I was so proud of Aunt Joyce,  who really didn't feel up to doing all that walking.  She held her own quite well, even climbing the stairs at the tower to see the wall carvings of those held prisoner there. 

We ended the day with a well deserved dinner at a local pub.  What a great last day together.

Some Chuckles, a Chunnel and a King Who Chops Off Heads

Well day 9 started out like most other days. .. giggles turned into laughter,  this time at Tita ' expense.   You see, our room in Agnetz was, hmmm, unique.  It had a double bed and a set of bunk beds.  This didn't seem problematic at first. Since I got up least often in the night to use the bathroom, I was the obvious choice for the top bunk.   

Soon we discovered these bunks were definitely made for kids,  and despite my demeanor,  my stature is certainly not that of a child.  Simply put, I was too big for the top bunk.   Tita was the next choice. .. so tentatively she climbed up.   Yep.   She fit and it was safe. We could sleep soundly. 

As the sisters started to stir early the next morning,  Tita decided it was time to come down. Easier said than done.   I woke to giggles and groans and saw Aunt Joyce standing under Tita,  trying to give her a boost,  as evidently Tita was stuck mid dismount.   When I offered my early morning advice. .." just jump", the giggles broke into laughter at the visual of Tita leaping off the top bunk right onto Mom, who was supervising while still in bed. 

With the use of the ladder,  the wall and Aunt Joyce's head,  Tita finally got down.  Bunk beds  should come with instructions and an age limit. 

After breakfast, we headed for the chunnel, the train tunnel that runs under the English channel.   The French countryside here was beautiful and again we had perfect weather.  Since we found it was easy to take our car over on the chunnel,  we had opted to do that instead of leaving the car in France as we originally planned.   At the chunnel entrance we made fast friends with the customs officers and got ready to board .  This train carries only vehicles and shortens the trip to the UK to 35 minutes!   

We disembarked to a sort of familiar language but a very foreign way of driving.  Though I had driven in the UK before,  this time I would be driving a left side driver vehicle,  adding a little twist to it.   There was only a brief period of panicked looks from the passengers before they settled in and relaxed. 

Wasting no time,  we went straight to Hampton Gardens, 16th century castle and home to Henry VII.  Well we went almost straight there.  We made a quick stop for fish and chips first!

Though mom and I had been before, every season is different at the castle.  We enjoyed it just as much as Joyce and Tita.   If course the telling if the story of Henry and his wives turned into a 16th century "who's on first" routine.   I am confident they know Henry was a king. ...... anything else I wouldn't bet on.

We have a really long day planned for tomorrow so we decided to forego any evening activities. .... Not even a pub tonight... And hit the hay!

Apologies for the lack of photos today.... Am posting from my phone and had some trouble uploading.  Hopefully all the technical issues will be resolved by next post.

By the way.... the car is still running just fine!

Goodbye Alps, Hello Trouble?

Well,  the trip had been without disaster this far... but never fear, I would do my best to change that today.

The day started off typically. ... up early and on the road to see as much as we could possibly see in one day.  We left France just long enough to venture into Switzerland, going through the beautiful and historic city of Geneva.

Post Geneva , we left the Alps and drove into the pretty rolling hills of north east France.  Our first gas stop in France would prove to be a game changer..... almost.  We were at about a quarter of a tank of fuel and when i tried to fill up, the  car was not cooperating.   Aunt Joyce, at my urging,  came to my rescue, ..... her rat tail comb was just the tool I needed.   We filled up and  were off.

Almost immediately, the car was running differently.   It was sputtering and coughing a bit,  but still moving quickly down the road.  About noon and still a couple of hours out of Paris, we stopped for lunch.   The sisters went on to eat but I,  in need of a power nap,  stayed in the car, asking them to bring me something to go.  They came back after a bit.... and we were ready to hit the road again.   We were ready... our BMW was not.  It simply would not start.

Well after  30 minutes or so we decided it was something we couldn't fix and I started trying to call the rental company.   After an hour on the phone and LOTS of miscomunication, they finally understood that we were in the middle of rural France and needed help!  About that time, Tita came running in to where I was on the phone.  She had gotten it started! Amazing!!!  Thank you God and Tita!

It was running. ... badly. ... but running nonetheless.   Thinking I had gotten some bad fuel, the sisters all agreed I should top off the tank at the nearby gas station.   As I was trying to pull the green diesel handle from the pump, I realized something.   In France. .. diesel  handles are blue, gasoline handles are green.   OMG....I'd filled the tank on the diesel engine with gas!!  In my defense...... we are in a foreign country,  with a language I don't really speak.  How could I be expected to know that diesel in French was. .... Well. ...Le diesel??????

When mom handed me the slip of paper from the glove box that said they were not responsible for damage done by improper fueling, my heart sank.   Had I really just " bought" us a broken down BMW?

Well... it was running. ... right?   How much worse could it get? So. .. after topping off the tank with the RIGHT fuel,  we started sputtering our way towards Paris.   After thirty miles or so it seemed to be running much better.  Our minds relieved,  we decided to 'relieve' the rest of us... and stopped for a potty break.

Ready to head out again. ...you guessed it... it wouldn't start. Ready to throw in the towel, the sisters coached me through it. Aunt Joyce finally yelling "PULSE IT" fron the back.  Pulse it... Really? ???   But she was right. .. it started again!  I love these women!

By the time we got to Paris it was running better and even though we were later than planned and it was raining, Paris was magical.   I, though normally not a fan of Paris, found it especially wonderful. ..... maybe because several times during the day I had wondered if we would make it there at all.

Despite the rain, we saw everything on our agenda except Notre Dame.   The hunchback will have to wait until next time.  The sisters even got in their obligatory sis pic.

As the sun went down and lights came up, the city became even more magical.   After a quick game of Arc d Triumphe demolition derby, we said goodbye to the city of lights and drove to Agnetz France where we were spending the night.

Whew!

Alps, Oops and Yummm

After a good night's sleep we  decided to forego less interesting tollways and head out for the small villages of the Italian Alps.   Now,  many of you have wondered just how we have managed to find our way on all of these off the beaten path roads.  With today's gps technology, we've never been without explicit directions.

At least it entertained us!

So our trusty gps led us up... and up....and up a winding narrow Alpine Road.   We went up until we were in the clouds and then above the clouds.  We took our time, not only because the roads were a bit scary but also because the sights were so breath taking.

We found Torino,  home of the Olympics in 2006.  We were shocked at what a small little town this was and obviously, when the Olympics packed up and left, so did the crowds.


At one point  at the tip top of one of the mountains, the road ended. ...It  was closed ahead.   This would not be an issue most places,  just take the detour..... but on the top of a mountain, the only way back down is the way you came and u turns on single lane roads with no guard rails are a little precarious.

Though the road closing made us  re-route onto a highway for a while, we did get to go through Milan on the new route, so all was not lost.   Plus, the lack of great scenery gave the sisters a chance to share with me some treasured memories from their childhood.

Finally able to get back onto our Alpine route,  we stopped at Albertsville for the night and stayed in a ski chalet that normally slept 8.  We could spread out and there was a wonderful deep tub so we were all four happy as could be.

When we stopped,  Tita said she was craving a burger.  We all giggled a little that she was in the French Alps and wanted a burger.... but she got the last laugh.  The little Cafe across from the chalet had the best burger  and fries any of us had ever had!

Wonder what we will discover tomorrow.

Hitler, Hams and Herr Hindend

Thanks to our new friends Peta and Ronnie we were off to an early start to see some "off the itinerary" sites. They had suggested we be sure to check out Bertschengarten,  home of a salt mine that has been in operation since the 1500s and the Eagle's Nest,  Hitler's villa that was his pride and joy.

This trip required us to backtrack into Germany but since the US bombing and destruction of the Eagle's Nest was a particularly proud moment in US history we decided it was worth it.

Unfortunately both sites were closed for the winter but the area was interesting and we found a shall shop with a knowledgeable clerk. She directed us to some books and dvd's about the importance of this part of WWII history.   Even with the detour we felt like it was worth it.

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After leaving the shop we found ourselves smack dab on top of the highest alp in the area.  So what do the sisters from Texas do when  the find themselves atop an alp?

I love these women!

After yodeling their way back out of Germany and into Austria,  we were headed to the village of Innsbruck.   The site of the Olympics several decades ago, this is a great place.   It is exactly what you would expect of an Alpine ski village.   It had a touch of everything. ... Olympic sites,  castles,  cute stores,  and to keep everything in working order. .. the duo we like to call Herr Smiley and Herr Hindend....

This photo was taken on our 3rd trip around the block.  This first he was bent over and exposing his entire back side. ... But we were all laughing to hard to get the photo.  The second he was facing the wing way and finally on the this we got the shot!   Just goes to show 'redneck' knows no boundaries.

Leaving Innsbruck we traveled into the Italian Alps.  There was a marked difference in the areas even though the topography was the same.  Gone were the cute little villages of Bavaria and Austria. .. replaced by century old utilitarian bulldogs and LOTS of vineyards. Grape vines grew everywhere there was a spare bit of land.

We stopped for the night in the small town of Trento Italy. While not really quaint or beautiful we did find something incredible about this spot. ... The food!   I did a little research and we set out to a little restaurant called Orso Grigio.  We, of course, were the only Americans there. ... the only English speaking guests as a matter of fact.   While we shied away from the filet of foal,  we ate incredible handmade pastas,  veal and fresh perch. .... drank some great wine and topped it off with desserts to die for.   Fabio, the owner, had quite the crush on Tita,  and while he couldn't speak English he made it clear with his gift of after dinner drinks and a bottle of the wine that she loved to take home with her.  We started to get a picture of the two of them,  but then thought better of it.  In this case,  the memory of the charming Italian restauranteur named Fabio is much more attractive without the photo!

 We feel sure that this time. .. we must really have had the best meal of the trip.
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The Alps, The Family Trapp and Family...Trapped!!!!

Off to another good start on day five of our family adventure. ...  we left Munich headed for what is touted as one of the most beautiful drives in the world, The German Alpine Road.

One might think that by now four women in a small car, together constantly, would start to get on one another's nerves. ... hence the family trapped comment.  Well in all honesty....someone is, in fact,  becoming more and more irritating everyday with her dumb jokes, bad singing and endless stories.....But the Killer Aunts are being very patient with me.

So off we head, in the direction of Neuschwanstein Castle... the most famous castle in Germany. The trip there was easily our best day of driving yet.  We drove through THE MOST amazingly picturesque villages you could ever imagine.   Each one looked to be straight out of a story book and the countryside in between the villages was alternately the evil forest and Jack's little farm pre-beanstalk. We took four hours to make what normally should have been an hour drive because we kept stopping and exploring.

An interesting part of each little village was a prominantly placed Maypole.  They we all at least 30 feet tall and we spent the entire day wondering what the heck they were ... Thank goodness fot the Internet.  This entire region is obviously supported by the lumber and wood industry. ... but even with the variety of trees available, it was amazing how tall and straight these Maypoles were.

As we approached the first castle we could see it peeping out of the clouds l. I can't describe and the photos don't show just how incredible it looked.  It was just as magical as we got close. It was truly a fairy tale castle.   

After a busy morning of village hopping and castle  chasing we decided it was time to reward ourselves with some good Bavarian food and thought an authentic biergarten was the perfect spot to do so.   We were right.   Cold local beer with sausages,  cheeses,  and bread definitely hit the spot.  Our best find at the local joint however were out two new friends Peta and Ronnie.  They told us lore of the area, some places to be sure to see and some funny stories about growing up German.  They even attempted to teach us some German. When Ronnie was telling me that felin danka meant thank you very much,  Aunt Joyce, hearing only part of the conversion jumped right in.  "Hi Felin, I'm Joyce".  He looked confused. .... And we laughed.   Tomorrow we are gong to work on listening to all of a conversation before jumping in. 

Leaving the biergarten we headed to Salzburg.  At a round-about we heard several cars honking and people shouting.  Since I was in my lane this time and going the correct direction, I assumed some other bad driver was on the road.  The honking and yelling continued... weird. .... And we could hear it remarkably well.... weirder.  But still, I seemed to be breaking few if any traffic laws.  I looked in my rearview mirror and discovered why the commotion and why we could hear it so well..... our hatchback was open!  I pulled over,  Tita and I jumped out to survey the damage.  While trying to determine what was missing, two heroes showed up....one driving and honking, trying to catch and alert us, the other running down the road carrying our dropped suitcase.   Morals of the story. .. Bavarians are exceedingly nice and I am not yet proficient at operating our vehicle.

An hour later we had arrived at our place to stay... incredibly the real, authentic, actual von Trapp home.   What a great experience.  It was simple and elegant. We had the entire downstairs to ourselves.  We had a great time exploring,  especially Aunt Joyce who explored herself right into the room of the only other guests at the villa.  Once again we were amused. .... Them.... Not so much.  We turned in for the night and read more about the actual facts of the von Trapp family's lives.  The only negative.... if we had to say there was one, was when we discovered that they had not fled Austria on foot over the mountains, but instead left by train.  The aunts just might be happy because now I will not try to drag them on a hike over the escape route tomorrow.